Crate for packing and unpacking tile



May 10, 1938.

H. s. M ELROY CRATE FOR PACKING AND UNPACKING TILE Filed March 25, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet l May 10, 1938.

H. S. MOELROY CRATE FOR PACKING AND UNPACKING TILE Filed March 23, 1934 5 SheetsSheet 2 O J J36 5 J nmunll I II III May 10, 1938. H MCELROY 2,117,194

CRATE FOR PACKING AND UNPACKING TILE Filed March 25, 1934 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 10, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Harold S. McElroy, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Franklin Tile Company, Lansdale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania ApplicationMarch 23, 1934, Serial No. 717,059

4 Claims. (Cl. 217-36) The present invention relates to an improved crate for the packing and unpacking of wall tile and this application is a continuation in part of my application, Ser. No. 684,261, now Patent No.

1 2,007,808, granted July 9, 1935.

Wall tile, according to present practices, is packed either in barrels or corrugated paper cartons, both of which kinds of packings have certain disadvantages.

When packed in a barrel, the tile are arranged in layers, standing on edge, and between successive layers shavings are placed, as also between the tile and the inner surface of the barrel, to prevent breakage and chipping. Barrel packing is the lowest cost of packaging but it is objectionable because of weight which approximates two hundred seventy pounds for sixty-two and onehalf square feet of tile in a single barrel. The weight makes it inconvenient to truck and carry the barrels into the upper stories of buildings undergoing construction and two men are usually required for handling, which is frequently inconvenient.

When double wall corrugated paper cartons are used as containers for tile, the usual packment holding two tiles, the object being to pre- 30 vent chipping and breakage.

While cartons for this purpose are easily handled by one man, and readily opened without requiring tools, because the package is closed by gluing the flaps together, permitting ready separation, nevertheless this kind of a package of tile is easily picked up and carried away by persons around the building operation and the loss from this source on a large job is so great 6 that the larger buyers in big cities frequently will not permit tile to be shipped to them except in barrels. 7

Other disadvantages of packing tile in cartons are tendency of the carton to shrinkage with age, and loss of strength and shape upon drying out after being subject to water or dampness. In consequence, tile packed in cartons and held in storage for long periods will fall over if in stacks because of warping, resulting in unsatisfactory appearance to customers. If tile are packed in cartons, the foregoing conditions make it imperative that packing take place near the time of shipment.

Manufacturers and tile setters know that if the ordinary glazed wall tile is not first soaked in water, usually for a period of about an hour, to permit the individual tiles to absorb moisture, they will, when placed in the mortar bed without soaking, absorb moisture from the mortar bed, resulting in improper setting and loosening of the tile when the mortar hardens, for it is wellknown that if a sufiicient quantity of Water is not present during the setting or. hardening period, the tile will not remain fast.

The average glazed wall tile has a moisture absorption ofabout twelve per cent, if soaked in water for about one hour. Special glazed vitreous and glazed semi-vitreous tile have been produced at higher manufacturing cost and higher installation cost than the ordinary white and colored glazed wall tile although having the advantage of a moisture absorption of only one per cent to five per cent.

The necessity for soaking ordinary glazed wall tile before the tile setter applies it to the mortar bed, is here mentioned to emphasize the advantages of my present improved crate which enables the. tile to be soaked while contained within the crate, as contrasted with the necessity of carrying on the soaking step for tile after unpacking from barrels and cartons, as will presently appear.

Assuming that the tile has been packed in barrels, transported to the point where the tile setteris at work, the tile setters helper unpacks the barrels and cleans the shavings from the face of the tile and then places the tile in a more or less hap-hazard manner in a soaking tub, which is usually an ordinary metal wash tub. The common practice is not to carefully place the tile in rows in the soaking tub but to lay them in superposed layers with the backs of the tiles undermost and their faces uppermost. This step of placing the tile for soaking and removing them in about an hour, frequently results in scratching, marring, and chipping of the tile.

After soaking, the tile setters helper either carries the tile in his hands and stacks them near the tile setter, in fiat-wise position, twenty or thirty pieces high, or places the stacked tile in a small wooden box holding forty to eighty pieces of tile, and carries the box to the tile setter. As the tile have absorbed considerable moisture, they are slippery and frequently will slide out of position after they have been stacked, which results in additional breakage. During periods of cold weather, the soaking and handling of tile is an unpleasant operation and at all times, unpacking the tile, removing the shavings, soaking the tile and transporting it to the tile setter, consumes considerable time, adding to the expense of tile setting.

If the tile is packed in corrugated paper cartons it should be transported to the point where the tile setter is at Work and unpacked, soaked and handled the same as though packed in barrels as previously explained because it is not feasible to soak a carton containing tile. It has been found in practice that a carton when soaked in Water will collapse because the weight of the tile causes it to break through, beside which the flaps of the carton will interfere with removal of the tile.

Corrugated paper cartons cannot serve the purpose if the step of soaking of the tile while contained therein be resorted to because of the lack of strength and cohesion of the carton when wet. I have found in practice that when the carton is withdrawn from the soaking tub, the carton is a wet, spongy mass having no stability and permitting the tile to break through.

The present invention has for its general objects the provision of an improved crate for packing wall tile, Whether of square or of oblong shape, which may be packed and stacked with similar crates and kept in the warehouse as long as desired, withfacility for inspection of the tile when in storage, and for easy stacking and unstacking of the crates, eliminate the disadvantages previously described having to do with packing tile in barrels and cartons, obviate the necessity of removing the tile from the container for soaking and enable the packed tile to be soaked in the soaking tub while remaining in its packed condition in the crate, and the crate and soaked tile contained therein to be subsequently bodily carried to the tile setter for easy unpacking by him, when setting the tile, thus eliminating unpacking, soaking, carrying, and restacking by the helper as independent steps, and. to minimize damage to, and loss of, the tile by reason of chipping and breaking.

The interior of the crate is sub-divided during the packing of the tile therein to arrange the tile in groups between which are partitions or removable spacers, there also being provided top and bottom and side and end liners located between the complete body of tile and the inner Walls of the crate, said liners being removed prior to immersion of the crate and its tile contents in the soaking tub, which step exposes the ribbed backs and edges of the tile to. the water so that the tile may absorb moisture from the water in the soaking tub.

If the tile be packed in more. than one layer, as will be the case with the smaller sizes of square tile, spacers are interposed between the edges of the respective layers but these are allowed to remain for the soaking operation as they permit the water to have access to the edges of the tile.

The spacers, partitions, and liners preferably are of corrugated paper to afford a suitable cushioning to protect the tile while being moved or transported but other materials may be used.

The packed tile includes means or devices whereby the tile setter, when commencing to unpack the soaked tile, may readily first remove one or more of the tile to facilitate unpacking.

A crate using partitions, spacers, and liners, according to my invention not only minimizes chipping and breakage during packing and transportation but their removal prior to subjecting the packed crate to soaking, provides the necessary space for loosening of the tile to. permit access of the water to the backs and edges of the tile. The tile, being relatively closely packed, would not be sufficiently separated to enable the water to have proper access thereto while remaining in the crate, except for the additional space between the tile which results when the partitions, spacers, and liners are removed.

The crate is of wood and holds more tile than does the ordinary carton, to which reference has heretofore been made, and yet it is lighter than a barrel of tile. It can be handled readily by one man and yet is not so easily stolen from the building as may be a packed carton. Being of wood, the crate does not lose its shape, split open or otherwise develop defects as do cartons.

The bottom of the crate is smooth and unobstructed from end to end, the strips or boards running the full length thereof. The top of the crate has cross battens at its ends and the top slats stop short of said battens so that the ends of these top boards or slats lie flush with the tops of the end battens.

If preferred, the ends of the crate may be provided with upstanding parts to serve as spacers for the top slats.

The purpose of this construction is to enable the crate to be packed at the factory, the top slats placed loosely in position without nailing and left in that condition until the time of shipment, whereas the bottom slats or boards are nailed tight. At any time during the storage period, the top slats can be lifted and the tile which has been packed in the crate may be examined and compared for shade. This is quite advantageous, due to the fact that one of the difficulties in the manufacture of wall tile is the maintenance of uniform shades of a given color. The shade of a. given color varies in subsequent manufacture. Therefore, it is a decided advantage to be able to compare material and stock of one color with the same color made at a later date, in a quick and convenient manner.

The foregoing loose arrangement of top slats,

permits sealing of the crate either by nailing said top slats, or, by holding them in position by Wires bound around the crate and overlying ing the wires by the same pincers he uses for cutting tile. Thus, no hammering or prying need be resorted to.

The sides of the crate are made of slats or boards with intervening spacers which allow ready entrance of the Water to the tile when the packed crate is placed in the soaking tub.

The bottom of the crate being of the construction previously specified, and the top of the crate having no projecting parts, as heretofore explained, the packed crates will slide smoothly, one on the other, and will stack easily and maintain their position.

I am aware that wooden crates have heretofore been used as containers for shipment of quarry tile and terra cotta but, so far as I know, such crates have had no distinctive features, have not been packed in any manner which will permit the soaking of the tile while packed in the crate, and have only been used as mere Shipping containers and not immersed in water.

I am also aware that modification may be resorted to in my improved crate without departing from the essential features thereof. It is to be understood, therefore, that the embodiments of the invention which are hereinafter described and which are shown in the accompanying drawings, showing the crate and the manner in which it is packed, may be modified to meet the requirements of the particular tile requiring packing, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a packed crate of square tile;

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a cross section thereof, on line 3-3, Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a view like Fig. 1, the top of the crate being removed and the top liner broken away;

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 55, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective, broken away, with omissions;

Fig. 7 is a plan view, the top slats being removed; 1

Fig. 8 is a similar view, the top slats being nailed;

Fig. 9 is a side view, stacked;

Fig. 10 is a plan view, the top slats and liner being removed, exposing the liners and partitions for withdrawal;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view, showing the crate in position for unpacking, after soaking;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of a modification wherein elongated tile are packed, the top being removed and liner broken away;

Fig. 13 is a cross section of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of another modification wherein the ends are constructed to hold the top slats without nailing. and wires are employed;

Fig. 15 is a cross-section through Fig. 14, the tile being broken away to disclose the improved end construction;

Fig. 16 is a side elevation thereof, broken away;

Fig. 17 is a plan view, the top slats and tiles being removed;

Fig. 18 is a bottom view; and

Fig. 19 is a view like Fig. 9, showing the modification of Figs. 14 to,18.

Referring first to Figs. 3 to 6 and 15, 17, the packing illustrated is, by way of example, for the smaller size of square tile, for instance tile measuring four and one-fourth inches by four and one-fourth inches. In these embodiments and packings, the tiles are in two layers, whereas in Figs. 12 and 13, where elongated, oblong, or

showing the crates larger square tiles are to be packed, for instance six by three inch or six by six inch tiles, the tiles are packed in only one layer but the manner of packing, soaking, and unpacking is the same.

Reference is first to be had to the crate disclosed in Figs. 1 to 13.

The bottom of the crate comprises slats or boards I nailed to the ends 2 and extended beyond said ends and nailed to a cross-batten 3.

The sides 4 have vertical battens 5 and said battens and the sides are nailed to the ends 2.

The upper cross battens 6 are nailed to the ends 2 and said battens and the battens 3 have ends I which project beyond the edges of the crate ends z and extend in overlapped relationship to the ends of the sides 4 and vertical battens 5.

The slats or boards comprising the bottom I and sides 4 are separated or spaced apart to enable the water in the soaking tub to pass through and reach all parts of the tile when the packed crate is undergoing the step of soaking but it is not necessary for the ends 2 to be open as they cover only the edges of the end tiles constituting the packed contents of the crate.

The upper battens 6, the upper ends of the vertical battens 5, and the upper parts of the uppermost side slats 4 project above the upper edges of the ends 2, enabling the top slats or boards to lie flush with said upper edges of said parts when the top slats '8 are nailed to the upper edges of the ends 2. 1

The .fact that the bottom slats or boards I extend the full length of the crate and to the faces of the lower cross battens and that the slats 8 of the top are flush with the tops of the upper side slats 4 and upper edges of the vertical battens 5 and cross battens 5, provides unobstructed, smooth surfaces at the bottom and top of the crate which is of great advantage in connection with stacking the packed crates one on top of the other and permitting their ready removal for inspection of the packed tile for shipment, as in Figs. 7 and 9.

It will be understood, however, that after the crates have been packed according to my improved method hereinafter described, the top comprising the slats 8 is not initially nailed to the ends 2 but said slats are simply loosely placed in position with their ends abutting the upper cross batten 6. The slats 8 are then retained in position because they are sunk below the upper edge of the crate. -As these slats rest upon the upper edges of the ends 2 and as they cannot be displaced from the top of the packed crate, they constitute a rigid support for the packed crate which is immediately above, permitting stacking and sliding as desired, and yet these top slats can be readily removed while the packed crate is in the warehouseand when it is desired to inspect the .tile in any crate for the purpose of comparing the material and stock of one color with tile of the same color made at a later date.

This is quite advantageous, due to the fact that one of the diificulties encountered in the manufacture of glazed tile is the maintenance of uniform shades of a color, as the shade of a given color varies in subsequent manufacture.

The top slats 8 are nailed down or fastened in place by flat metal strapping or wires when the crate is to be shipped from the factory. The

use of wires, instead of nails is shown in Figs.

steps taken in connection with the tile, as will be described hereinafter.

The method of packing the tile in the crate is shown, described and claimed in my application Ser. No. 684,261 and is as follows:

A sheet of suitable or corrugated paper 9 is placed within the crate on the bottom slats l and constitutes a covering for the inside bottom surface of said crate.

The side walls of the crate are lined with suitable or corrugated paper sheets i0 and the end walls with similar sheets II. The sheets l0 and H completely cover the interior of the side and end walls and sheets l0 bridge the openings or spaces I2 between the slats or boards 4 just as the bottom sheet 9 bridges the, open space l3 between the bottomslats l.

The bottom sheet 9, side sheets [0 and. end sheets ll constitute a liner for the crate which protects and encloses the packing of tile, except for the top of said tiles which are covered and protected by a suitable or corrugated sheet I 4 which lies below the top slats 8 and completely covers the body of packed tile.

The upper edges of the sheets I and II project slightly above the packed tile at I0, II so that they may be conveniently grasped and withdrawn just prior to the step of placing the crate in the Water for soaking.

Having placed the sheets I 0, II in position to line the crate, the lower layer of the tile I is packed, standing on the sheet 9 in groups of ten, more or less, with their ribs I5 on their backs disposed in ahorizontal position; Suitable or corrugated paper board partitions I6 extending cross-wise of the crate, are inserted to subdivide the packing space.

The groups of tile in each cross row are separated by vertical spacers or partitions I? of suitable or corrugated paper to act as cushions and minimize danger of breakage if the crate falls on its side during transportation or handling.

Spacing strips I8, of suitable or corrugated paper are laid on the lower layer above each pair of groups of the lower layer and the packing then proceeds in respect to the upper layer of tile I5. The strips I8 are narrower than the width of the tile and they remain in position during the soaking operation without interfering with the circulation of the water, as will shortly be described. The strips or spacers I8 extend cross-wise of the crate the full length of the pair of groups of tile in the lower layer, in each instance, and are disposed between the cross spacers or partitions I6.

In the upper layer of tile, a group is packed and another spacer I1 is inserted to separate the two groups, as with the groups in the lower layer. This upper spacer rests on the spacer or separator I8, in each instance.

The upper edges of the spacers or partitions I6 project above the upper edges of the upper layer of tile at I6 just as do the sheets I0 and II, thereby enabling the cross partitions or spacers I6 to be readily grasped when the time arrives for withdrawing them.

The upper edges of the spacers or separators I! need not project above the upper edges of the upper layer of the tile and they do not project above the upper edges of the lower layer of tile, as they are not removed prior to the soaking operation but are left in position, for otherwise the package would become too loose.

Certain ones of the tile in one of the end groups of the upper layer are enclosed in the loop of a strip I9 of suitable material, say waterproof paper, to permit these tile to be readily removed by the tile setter after the soaking operation so that the work of unpacking may progress.

The crate having been packed in the manner described, the top liner I4 is laid on the upper layer of tile.

The top slats 8 are then loosely laid on the protector I4, with their ends supported by the ends 2 of the crate but they are not nailed to the ends 2 at the time. This leaves the top of the packed crate covered but accessible for inspection and permits stacking one packed crate on another, as in Fig. 9. The advantage of this feature in respect to inspection as to shade of the tile has previously been set forth.

When about to be shipped, the slats 8 are nailed down, or bound with steel strapping, or with wires, with the top liner or protector I4 beneath them.

When the packed crate is on the job for use by the tile setter, he or his helper removes the top slats 8 and the top'liner I4 and then completely pulls out of the crate the liner sheets III and cross partitions I6 and preferably also the liner sheets II. The spacers I! are left in position.

The removal of the sheets I0, II and I6 loosens up the closely packed tile and as the strips I8 remain in position during the soaking operation, channels are provided for the water in the soaking tub to pass to the edges and between the faces of the tile to enable the tile to absorb through their unglazed backs, during the soaking operation, the necessary moisture so essential to proper setting when used by the tile setter.

The ribs I5 which are a common feature on the backs of tile, act as separators to keep the tile apart and enable the water to circulate.

Having thus conditioned the crate and its contents, the fully packed crate is bodily placed within the soaking tub and allowed to remain there for the usual period of about one hour.

After adequate soaking, the crate is brought to the tile setter and stood on end with the strip I9 uppermost, as in Fig. 11. The ribs I5 are then arranged vertically, facilitating drainage from top to bottom of the crate. The surplus water adhering to the tile then drains downwardly and enables the tile setter to start use of the tiles in the uppermost pair of groups after he has pulled out the tile which are removable by the strip I9.

The unpacking progresses from top to bottom of the crate as the tile setter carries on his work.

When the upper layer of tile, has been removed, the tile setter begins on the lower layer, starting at the top and working downward, as was done with the upper layer.

A crate constructed and packed as described entirely does away with the step of unpacking the tile, putting them in the soaking tub, and carrying them to the tile setter in a carrier or loosely re-stacking them, thus saving a great deal of time, labor and expense.

The crate and method of packing shown in Figs. 12 and 13 in essential particulars corresponds with the crate and method of packing previously described, except that the crate is wider and shallower, the tile packed is in a single layer, and the cross rows being longer, two of the spacers or cushions I! are used for each cross row.

The strips I8 are omitted because there is but one layer of tile.

In view of the size of the tile, which are either six by three inches or six by six inches, in lieu of the strip I9, blank inserts 20, which have projecting upper edges 20 are used as fillers in what will be the uppermost row of soaked tile, whose removal enables the tile setter to easily start unpacking the top or end row of tile after the crate and its tile contents have been subjected to the soaking tub.

Each of the lining sheets 9, II], II, I4 corresponds to the lining sheet previously described.

The upper edges I0, II, I6 project suiiiciently to enable them to be readily grasped, as heretofore described.

A greater number of the cross partitions or sheets I6 will be used if the tile packed are six by three, five such cross partitions or sheets being illustrated in Fig. 12.

In the event that six by six inch tile are packed,

the number of cross partitions I6 will correspond to those previously described in connection with Figs. 4, 5, 6, 10, 11.

Referring to Figs. 14 to 19, illustration is given of a modification which differs from the embodiments previously described, mainly in the following features: the top slats 8 are spaced at their ends by means on the ends 2, and the said slats are held in position by wires or bands 2| which encircle the crate. The vertical battens 5, cross battens 3 and 6, and bottom slats are nailed and related practically as previously described. The ends 2 are in a plurality of pieces, the middle one of which projects upwardly at 2', above the tops of the other pieces of said ends, thus serving as a spacer in each instance to keep the top slats 8 in spaced or separated relationship. With such a construction, the top slats 8 may be loosely laid, in spaced relationship, on the top of a crate packed with tile, as previously explained and several crates stacked on top of each other, as illustrated in Fig. 19 without previously fastening the top slats 8 in position, which will enable inspection at the warehouse.

When the crate is to be shipped, the wires 2| are fastened around them, thus holding the top slats 8 in position without requiring that they be nailed. The wired crate constitutes what is, for all purposes a nailless crate because the tile setter or his helper can open the crate when it reaches them without having to pry off the top, merely by cutting the wires 2| with the same pincers used by the tile setter when cutting tile. Furthermore, there being no nails in the top slats 8, there can be no injury from the slats 8 when removed and laid aside at the point where tile setting is going on.

While I have shown the ends 2 in three pieces, it will be understood that they may be in a single piece, provided with the part 2, or the end 2 may be provided with a spacer on its upper edge to keep the slats 8 in spaced relationship.

In lieu of the wires 2|, metal bands of any well-known or preferred form may be used.

In the construction disclosed in Figs. 14 to 19, the manner of packing the tile, use of liners, and other features previously described may be resorted to and detailed description thereof need not be repeated.

It will be understood that the ends of the top slats 8 rest on the upper edges of the ends 2 and lie flush with the cross-battens 6, being kept spaced by the projecting ends 2' of the middle slats 2, whose tops are flush with the slats 8 and tops of the battens B.

The bottom slats I are shown as relatively close together in the construction of Figs. 14 to 19.

Statements such as suitable or corrugated paper are intended to cover and include any packing medium or material or type or kind of paper or paper-board or sheet, whether single,

.double pressed, corrugated, cellular, laminated or otherwise, of such size and shape as to afford the proper protection where used and which will serve the purposes specified without, however, being of a character or nature which will, when soaked in water, emit a stain that will discolor the packed tile.

The liners 9, II], H, M are so arranged as to exclude rain, dust and foreign material from the packed tile which they surround and to properly protect all parts of the tile between the wood slats, and at the bottom of the crate the liner 9 prevents the tile from protruding or falling out.

Preferably, the bottom liner 9 should be so arranged that its corrugations run crosswise of the crate because such arrangement locates the corrugations in the best position to withstand the weight of the tile above the open space l3.

What I claim is:

1. A tile container having slatted sides, a slatted bottom, slatted ends having portions extending above other portions thereof, vertical and cross-battens secured over the sides and along the ends respectively and extending transversely relative to the slats of the sides and ends respectively, and a removable top or cover which rests on the lower portion of the ends and is flush with the upper edge of the sides and the higher portion of the ends and is fastened on the container.

2. A tile container comprising a bottom and side walls, cross-battens at the ends of the container, upright-slatted end walls secured inside of said cross-battens and having at least the major portions of the upper edges thereof below the upper edges of the cross-battens with portions thereof projecting above said major portions, and a cover resting on said major portions of the end wall upper edges on opposite sides of the projecting portions and approximately flush with the upper edges of the cross-battens.

3. A tile container comprising a bottom and side walls, cross-battens at the ends of the container, end walls secured inside of said crossbattens and having the major portions of the upper edges thereof below the upper edges of the cross-battens and below the upper edges of the side walls with portions thereof projecting above said major portions, and a cover resting on said major portions of the end wall upper edges in side the cross-battens and side walls on opposite sides of the projecting portions and approximately flush with the upper edges of said side walls and cross-battens.

4. A tile container comprising a bottom and side walls, cross-battens at the ends of the container, end walls having vertical slats secured inside of said cross-battens transverse thereto and having the major portions of the upper edges thereof below the upper edges of the cross-battens and below the upper edges of the side walls with portions thereof projecting above said major portions, and a cover resting on said major portions of the end wall upper edges inside the cross battens and side walls on opposite sides of the projecting portions and approximately flush with the upper edges of said side walls and cross-battens, and means for removably securing said cover in place.

HAROLD S. MoELROY. 

